Page 105 of Romancing Daphne

The lieutenant had never referred to James by his Christian name—the young gentleman likelythoughtof him by several names unfit for company.

“I am.” Still, Father appeared unsure of himself. How had they upended him so quickly? No one had been outright rude, nor insulting. They simplyappeared to not particularly care for what consequence he might be in a positionto claim.

“You must be very proud,” the lieutenant said.“He is quite well thought of.”

“Is he?” The genuine surprise on Father’s face was particularly lowering. “I have heard any number of unflattering things about him lately.”

The lieutenant appeared momentarily taken aback, though somethingof a twinkle passed quickly through his eyes. He spoke next in a tone of conciliatory explanation, as though he’d hit upon the reason for Father’signorance.“I can only assume such unfounded gossip is circulating exclusively in less exalted circles than those in which this family walks.”

A direct hit, to be sure. Father had quite neatly been reminded that though he might lord it over his family and toadying admirers, his current company held positions decidedly above his touch.

“Is this truly your father, Lord Tilburn?” Miss Artemis asked with an air of absolute believable ignorance. Were such a thing not entirely beyond the pale, she might very well have made a name for herself on the stage.“I have wished to make his acquaintance.”

“Shall I make you known to him?” James hoped his acting abilities were sufficient to disguise the question as a mere social nicety when he’d actually asked for the sake of determining what was expected of him.

“Yes, please.”

James undertook the introduction, then figuratively stepped back to watch what would unfold.

“Our father is a scholar,” Miss Artemis told James’s father.“He hasmany times been quite in demand by the dons of Oxford and Cambridge, and many of his papers on ancient Greece have been published to accolades and widespread acclaim. What doyoustudy, Lord Techney?”

Father? Study? James managed to keep his expression neutral, but only just.

“I have never really been of an academic bent,” Father answered, his tone clearly indicating his disapproval of those who were.

Miss Artemis gave him a look of utter commiseration.“We had a neighbor who said that a lot.” She lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper.“He was terribly slow and not at all bright.”

To say Father looked startled would be a gross understatement. If not for the look of sweet innocence on Miss Artemis’s face, he likely would have taken immediate umbrage at the insinuation that he was himself unintelligent.

“If you do not tend toward academics, you must have some other accomplishments. Do you travel? My brother”—she glanced briefly at Lieutenant Lancaster—“has seen nearly all the world. He has stepped foot on five continents. To how many continents have you traveled?”

“I had my Grand Tour as a youth.” Father had always been quite proud of having undertaken that rite of passage.

“Oh, pish.” Miss Artemis waved off this tidbit as though it held noweight whatsoever.“Europe hardly counts. We havetenantswho have beento Europe. Surely you’ve seen other parts of the world.”

“I am not a traveler.”

She instantly looked sympathetic.“Linus did say some of their very young sailors do not travel well either. They haven’t the constitution for it, poor things.”

Father had been compared to a lackwit, a tenant, and a lower-classcabin boy. One thing James would say for the evening’s entertainment: it was thorough. A beat of silence just long enough to grow quite uncomfortable passed. Father actually tugged at his cravat. James had never seenhis father so thoroughly bested, and by a fifteen-year-old girl, nonetheless. What else did this formidable family have planned?

Into the thick silence, the Falstone House butler announced dinner. The duke entered with his wife, their air of aristocratic superiority one the prince himself would have struggled to emulate. Humble pie seemed the menu item of the evening.

Lieutenant Lancaster accompanied Daphne, and James walked into the dining room with Miss Artemis on his arm. She kept up her role nearly flawlessly, only once betraying herself by grinning up at James. He kept hisown smile in check by clenching his jaw.

The dinner conversation passed in much the same vein as the premeal discussion. James sat near enough the duchess to overhear her ask Fatherabout individuals who stood so far above him in consequence that hecould not possibly have any personal acquaintance with them. The lieutenant, seated on Father’s other side, brought up matters of state only to interrupt himself and apologize for having forgotten that Lord Techney had not been embracing his Parliamentary duties. Miss Artemis continually glanced at their guest with a look of mingled pity and disappointment. His Gracemore or less ignored him. Daphne kept her eyes on her plate, thoughJames could not say if this came about because of her timidity or because of a need to hide her amusement.

Father looked thoroughly relieved when the ladies rose and left the gentlemen. James thought the reaction terribly precipitous. As for himself, he had no doubt the evening was far from over.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

The duke nodded to hisbutler, an indication that the man ought tobring in the usual after-dinner fare. He returned, however, without asingle decanter or glass, instead carrying a silver salver on which lay a box any gentleman would recognize as containing a pair of Manton’s duelingpistols.The duke lifted the cherrywood box and set it on the table.

James reminded himself forcefully of his instructions to appear unsurprised. Fortunately, Father’s attention was so riveted on the unexpected sight, he paid James not a whit of attention.

The duke silently pulled an immaculate pistol from its box. He examined it thoughtfully.“I understand you have been quite talkative these past few days.”

Father must have sensed the question was aimed at him.“I am not sure what you mean.”

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